Adoring the Ones Who Ignore Us and Ignoring the Ones Who Adore Us
by MysteriousRebel
Summary: Akatsuki was just turned down for a dance by Ruka. Akira witnessed the whole thing and was able to dodge out of sight just in time. As she thought about how ironic her situation was, she's asked to dance by someone unexpected. Sorry if there are grammar/spelling mistakes. This was my first one-shot ever written from a long time ago. Based during episode 11. AkatsukixOC


"I'll only dance with Lord Kaname," Ruka declared, turning her back to Akatsuki. He looked at her for a moment before taking his hands out of his pockets, placing one behind his back and the other out to her, and bowing, asking for a dance. She turned around and looked at him in disbelief, not sure what to do.

Akatsuki looked up at her, able to tell she wasn't going to accept, and stood straight again, sticking his hands back in his pockets. "Have it your way," he says, closing his eyes and turning around.

I quickly ducked out of view, but not before seeing the hurt Akatsuki was trying to hide from his face. I walked over to the staircase and acted nonchalant, looking at the couples dancing on the dance floor.

Akatsuki walked back in and scanned the ballroom, as if he was looking for someone. When he saw me, our eyes locked and I wondered if he knew I had been watching him and Ruka. Not able to take his gaze anymore, I turned my head and pretended something else caught my attention. I could still feel his stare for a few more moments before he walked away.

I let out a sigh of relief and lifted my hand to my chest, feeling my heart pounding under it. _Damn you to hell, Ruka,_ I thought. _How could you do that to Akatsuki?! Are you blind? Could you not see how much you hurt him?_ Ruka may not be able to see how Akatsuki feels about her, but I can. I can see the love he shows her because it's the same love I have for him. _Why, Akatsuki?_ I wondered. _Why can't you see my love for you? Is it because you're blinded by your own love for Ruka? Can't you see she doesn't see it because she too is blinded by her own love for another? Why is it that we adore the ones that ignore us and ignore the ones that adore us?_ I looked up, not seeing Akatsuki anywhere, and let out a sigh of sadness. "Akatsuki…" I whispered to myself.

"Akira?"

I jumped at the voice and turned around to see Takuma. "Takuma, you scared me," I said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he says with an apologetic smile.

"It's alright," I replied, smiling reassuringly.

His smile returns to the friendly one I'm used to, but fades when he looks around and notices no one near. "Why are you standing here alone?" he asked with a worried expression. "Are you not enjoying the dance?"

"Oh, of course," I answered. "I'm just watching."

"You're not dancing, though," he pointed out. "And this is a ball."

"Uh, I don't feel dancing at the moment," I said, averting my eyes to the ground.

"But I haven't seen you dance at all tonight," he stated. "You must dance with, at least, one person before the night is over." _There is one person I want to dance with,_ I thought, _but he's gone._ Takuma holds his hand out to me, placing his other behind his back, and bows.

"Takuma," I started, "you don't have to—"

"I insist," he interrupts, looking up at me with his bright green eyes.

"What about all those day-class students that are dying to dance with you?" I asked, remembering how Takuma had been surrounded by day-class girls earlier.

"I'll dance with them later," he answered. "You haven't danced with anyone and I feel like you should dance, at least, once. Even if it's not with the person you want."

His last sentence caught me off guard and I looked down at him, wondering if he heard me say Akatsuki's name earlier, but he kept his head down so I couldn't see his expression. I was about to decline his offer again, but thought of how Ruka had rejected Akatsuki on the balcony. I didn't want to be like her, waiting for someone who would never love me back. So, instead, I took Takuma's hand and let him lead me to the floor. I placed my other hand on his shoulder and he placed his on my hip.

We slowly began to dance, circling and swaying around the floor. It felt nice to forget about my worries and just enjoy myself. _I should thank Takuma for the dance when it's over,_ I reminded myself. As we danced, I noticed the stares we were getting, most from day-class students, and blushed, not use to having so much attention on me. "People are staring," I said, my attention still on our spectators.

"Are you okay?"

I looked at Takuma, surprised by his sudden question. "Huh? Yes, I'm fine."

"I know I'm no Akatsuki," he said, "but I'm just trying to make this night better for you."

"Wh-what?" I asked, confused and shocked. "H-how did you…"

"It's kind of obvious," he stated with a guilty smile. Realizing, by my speechlessness and light shade of pink forming on my cheeks, that he had embarrassed me, he quickly said, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that. It was rude of me. Please forgi—"

"No," I said, cutting him off, "it's alright." I sighed and looked away. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Maybe it's just me," he replied, still trying to make up for earlier. "I can be over observant."

"No, it probably is easy to see," Takuma doesn't say anything as we continue to dance, but I can feel his eyes on me. "Takuma?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think he'll ever return my feelings?" I asked. "Or even acknowledge them?" A silence passes, answering my question, and I say with disappointment in my voice, "I see…"

"Akira, I'm—"

"No," I interrupt, "don't be. If that's what you think then chances are you're right." I let out a sigh and didn't say anything else.

"Excuse me, Takuma," a voice said from behind, causing us to stop dancing. "May I cut in?"

I turned around and saw Akatsuki, hands in pockets, standing there, his usual apathetic look on his face.

"Of course," Takuma replied with a smile, letting go of me. "Thank you for the dance, Akira." He bows, winking when he stands straight again, and makes his way through the crowd, immediately being swarmed by day-class girls when he reaches the catering table.

"You know," Akatsuki says, causing me to turn and face him, "for us to start dancing, we need to be a bit closer." He took a step closer to me and I could already feel my heartbeat picking up. "At least, from my experience." He smirks and I can feel the blood rush to my cheeks. He holds his hand out to me and I place mine in his, hoping he doesn't notice how warm it feels. Just like with Takuma, he places his hand on my hip and I place mine on his shoulder. "So," he began as we started dancing, "how have you been?"

"Fine," I replied, keeping my gaze at the ground. "And you?"

"Same," he answered, though his tone said otherwise.

"That's good," I responded, thinking of him and Ruka on the balcony.

"Something wrong?" he questioned, his eyes palpable on me.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you haven't looked me in the eye since we started dancing," he stated.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, though I kept my eyes down.

Suddenly he stopped dancing and let go of my hand, placing his index finger under my chin. "If you're really sorry," he said, tilting my head up so I was looking directly at him, "then you'd look at me." He returned his hand to mind and continued dancing as if we hadn't stopped at all.

I couldn't hear anything but the sound of my heart pounding in my ears and knew without a doubt that I was blushing madly. The smirk on his face confirmed my thoughts, but no matter how hot I knew my face was getting, I couldn't tear my eyes from his amber ones. I wanted to tell him, here and now, how I felt about him. "Akatsuki—"

"You were there."

"Huh?" I asked, confused by what he meant.

"You were by the balcony when Ruka and I were on it, weren't you?" His smile slowly started to fade back into his apathetic expression.

"I-I…" I didn't know what to say, stunned that he knew. I looked away embarrassed and tried to think of what to say to defend myself. Nothing came to mind and after a few minutes of debating whether or not to say what I wanted to, I figured I had nothing else to lose. "She doesn't deserve you," I say, keeping my gaze down.

"What?"

For some reason, I felt anger building up in my body. I don't know why I was mad at him all of a sudden; maybe it was because of his cluelessness to my feelings for him. "I said she doesn't deserve you," I repeated in a louder tone than before, causing us and some others nearby to stop dancing. They, along with Akatsuki, looked at me in surprise, though I was too angry at the moment to care. I walked away, leaving him in the middle of the dance floor, and went out to the balcony.

The cool nighttime air brought me back to my senses after a few minutes, but the damage was already done. I sighed and held my arms, looking over the treetops. _Idiot,_ I scolded. _Why the hell did you get mad at him? He didn't do anything wrong._ I covered my eyes with one of my hands and let out an exasperated sigh.

"What makes you say that she doesn't deserve me?"

I jumped a little at the sudden voice and looked back at the doorway to see Akatsuki. Not able to face him after the scene I made inside, I look up at the moon shining down on me. "Isn't it obvious?" A breeze blows by as my only response. "She doesn't feel the same way as you do. She doesn't even acknowledge your feelings for her. She's too blinded by her love for someone who will never love her back," I explained, wondering if I really was talking about Ruka and Akatsuki or Akatsuki and I. "Maybe you should just give up on her," I suggested, knowing I was talking about myself for sure now.

"Me give up on Ruka?" he asked, walking further onto the balcony. "Or you give up on me?"

My eyes widened in shock. _H-he knows?!_ I can hear his footsteps coming closer, but don't turn to face him. "We're all blinded by love. It's just that…I don't want to be if you're not going to feel the same way." A moment of silent passes before I feel Akatsuki's hand on my shoulder, turning me around to face him, though I keep my eyes on the ground.

"Neither do I."

I look up at him in surprise. "Y-you don't?" I ask, not believing him until I look into his eyes and see the same loving look he'd always give Ruka.

"No, I don't." He smiles affectionately at me. "It seems like we've both been adoring the one that ignored us," he says, gently touching my cheek.

"For too long if you ask me."

"You're right. I'm done adoring the one who ignored me. It's time I start adoring the one who was always there for me." Suddenly he pulls my face closer to his and brings his lips to mine.

At first, my eyes widened in shock, but soon closed as I kissed back. For so long, I had wanted this, dreamed of it, and now it was finally happening. The balcony, the ball, everyone inside, they all disappeared. I lifted my hand to the back of his neck, deepening the kiss, and he slid his arm around my waist, pulling me closer.

After a moment, we pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. The same loving look was still in his, but it seemed even stronger than before. "I love you Akira," he said with a tender smile.

"I love you too, Akatsuki."

"I'm sorry it had taken me so lo—"

I placed my finger on his lips to silence him. "No, don't be." I smiled at his expression, which had a hint of confusion in it. "All that matters is right now, this moment."

"You're right," he says with a smile before leaning down and kissing me again. _Finally,_ I thought as I kissed back, _you're seeing clearly now._


End file.
